Lower salt intake and less fatty meat and added sugar can make a real difference in overall health. The DASH diet embodies these components and more, and it’s popular for seniors looking to make a significant impact on their physical well-being. The acronym stands for Diet Approaches to Stop Hypertension, but those who follow it may see improvements in brain health and diabetes symptoms, too.
DASH diet basics
Gregory Lafortune, an Atlanta-based licensed dietitian, operates a small private practice, Optimal Plan Nutrition, which specializes in men’s health. The DASH diet focuses largely on low sodium to help balance blood pressure and to produce more optimal blood pressure levels, he said.
When people consume more sodium, more fluid enters blood vessels to balance it out, and that effect drives up blood pressure, Lafortune said. Therefore, decreasing sodium can help bring down blood pressure. By eating a more plant-based diet with fewer fatty meats and lowered amounts of added sugars, patients can help reduce inflammation, and thereby stress on blood vessels. These are all practices the DASH diet promotes.
Its ability to reduce cholesterol levels means the DASH diet can help decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, too, according to Dr. Diego Remolina, an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine Division of Geriatrics at Emory Healthcare. And it’s beneficial for supporting bone density reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
The MIND diet
The diet’s effect can extend to brain health.
Brain or cognitive function declines due to inflammation in the blood vessels and the brain, Lafortune said. Eating in a DASH diet pattern can help minimize damaging effects on the brain by impacting that organ’s vascular component.
Brain benefits are best achieved by meshing the DASH and Mediterranean diets in a combination called the Mediterranean-Interventions Neurodegenerative Delay, or MIND, diet. This combination allows for the introduction of lots of antioxidants, too, which can help improve cognition, Remolina said.
What to eat
When embarking on the DASH diet, it’s great for seniors to have a road map of which foods are acceptable.
Incorporating more fruits and vegetables and switching processed grains for more whole grains are important, Lafortune said, because these changes bring in more fiber, which helps slow down cognitive decline and aids with messaging between the gut and brain to facilitate anti-inflammatory action and mitigate the risk of chronic disease.
Fatty fish is another staple he recommends, especially in replacement of the saturated fats typically found in animal products. Good examples of fatty fish, he said, can be summed up with the SMASH acronym: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
Potential drawbacks
Although the DASH diet has many potential benefits, it’s important to be mindful about possible complications, Remolina said. Three factors to consider are:
- Fiber: Taking lots of fiber without proper digestive health can lead to bloating, gas and discomfort, he said, which may hinder patients’ adherence to a diet. The solution is to increase fiber intake gradually so the body can adjust.
- Expense: The DASH diet can also be comparatively expensive with its call for fresh produce, lean produce and low-fat dairy, Remolina said. Solutions include shopping for seasonal produce or frozen or low-sodium canned options.
- Protein: Protein intake may be insufficient with this diet, which can cause muscle loss resulting in falls and decreased body functionality. Remolina said the solution is to consume plenty of lean proteins like poultry, fish and eggs.
Despite possible drawbacks, the DASH diet is packed with overall positives. The diet brings benefit to almost anyone who practices it, Lafortune said, and its precepts are often a part of his overall discussions as a dietitian. Some form of intervention is beneficial for almost any age group — particularly for seniors — and it comes up in conversation often for him.
It’s important to work with a health provider before embarking on the diet, Remolina added.
“I just want to make sure that before they start the DASH diet, seniors consult a health care provider or dietitian to tailor it to their needs and ensure it aligns with their health conditions, activity levels and personal preferences,” he said.
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